


I'm alright.

by SuperMazeWolf



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 21:32:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7405624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperMazeWolf/pseuds/SuperMazeWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It usually hit Tony before he knew what was happening. It usually appeared before him as a flashing sign on top of a hill, bright and terrifying, the words 'YOU'RE A DEAD MAN' sprawled onto it. It usually made him feel like he was still in the cave, being drowned, being tortured and held captive, and usually it was  <em>too much.</em><br/>And Tony would never get used to it.</p><p>(In which Tony Stark has panic attacks, and Bucky starts to awkwardly help him because he knows the feeling, except somehow Tony seems to have it worse.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm alright.

It usually hit Tony before he knew what was happening. It usually appeared before him as a flashing sign on top of a hill, bright and terrifying, the words 'YOU'RE A DEAD MAN' sprawled onto it. It usually made him feel like he was still in the cave, being drowned, being tortured and held captive, and usually it was _too much._  
And Tony would never get used to it.

Tony clawed at the machine wedged into his chest, gasping in short bursts for air. He couldn't breath, everything was getting hazy and Tony was pretty sure that he let out a choked sob. He was terrified. He knew he wasn't dying, knew it in his heart and mind but his body wouldn't listen and it was too much for him. He needed comfort, needed calm and quiet, not a constant pounding in his head accelerating at a worrying speed, not a constant scream of fear drowning everything out.

Help. He needed someone, it was too much, too much.

Then steady hands gripped his shoulder, firmly, the warmth spreading throughout his body, and Tony let out a small cry, half of relief and half of alarm, felt warm tears rolling down his cheeks, pouring.  
"Stark. Count."

Count, count, count, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3-

"Stark- Tony, come on. Come on. It's okay. Hear me breathin'? Come on. Follow that. Breath. 1, 2, 3. There we go." The voice was soothing, calm, reassuring and Tony wheezed, tried to copy the breathing but it was too hard and he felt another surge of panic cover him-  
"Tony. It's okay. Breath. Shh. Breath." A cool hand led Tony's shaking hand that was covering thr arc reactor to a chest, covered with a soft material and a rhythmic beating echoing through and Tony stuttered a breath, and everything was fading, no, coming back.

"There we go. Breath. Come on." 

Tony squeezed out another sob and screwed his eyes shut even tighter than before. He pressed his hand to the person's chest, closer, and his other hand curled around his arc reactor protectively.

"Breath. See, everything's fine. Breath, Tony. There you go. There you go."

Everything grew quieter again, and Tony slumped, his hand on the person's chest growing slack and dropping to his side. "Sorry," Tony whispered with another soft sob, "Sorry, sorry, sorry-" "It's fine. Shut up, it's fine. It's all fine and dandy. See? Open your eyes. You're in your workshop place, an' nothin' changed."  
Tony pried his eyes open and immediately noticed the metal arm still on his shoulder, and his eyes widened. "Fuck, God, sorry, fuck, fuck, fuck-" 

Barnes huffed out a laugh but shook his head. "Why’re you sorry? I'm the one who barged in without permission an' shit. Don't be sorry." The last words were heavy with emotion, something so heavy that Tony had to hide his face in Barnes' neck which, was and would forever be, necessary. Tony half expected a shove, at least a hesitant 'sorry, no touching,' but instead Barnes wrapped an arm around him, kind of awkwardly but comforting, and said quietly, "I'm gonna take ya' ass to bed. Don't wake up complainin'." Tony mumbled something incoherent and moved his hand to his own chest as Barnes pulled him up into his arms.

Tony ignored the fact that his man had killed his parents, and that he barely knew him personally, and slouched closer.

He didn’t remember saying 'stay' to Barnes when he lowered Tony onto the bed, but when he woke up, Barnes' beautiful eyes peering down at him, back propped against the head of the bed, greeted him.  
Barnes grinned weakly.


End file.
